february – april 2017

information and sights

whereto go

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

10%

discount inside

The Holašovice Historical Village Reservation

Currently...

16648_My inzerce 64x131_v01.indd 1 26.04.16 11:34

Havel • an exhibition of photography depicting important events and everyday moments in the life of Václav Havel, first President of the Czech Republic • DOX Centre for Contemporary Art, until 13 March www . dox.cz

Holiday World • 26th annual central European tourism trade fair, presenting leisure opportunities in the Czech Republic and at foreign destinations; this show is combined with the gastronomy trade fair Top Gastro & Hotel • Prague Exhibition Grounds, Holešovice, from 16 to 19 February www . holidayworld.cz

Aida Garifullina • the Russian concert soprano accompanied by the Prague Philharmonia, with arias and romances by Dvořák and Tchaikovsky • Municipal House, 17 February www . obecnidum.cz

Cirkopolis • a contemporary circus festival with elements of contemporary dance and physical and visual theatre • Acropolis Palace and Ponec Theatre, from 13 to 18 February www . cirkopolis.cz

Shrovetide in Prague • Toulec Courtyard is welcoming guests to a masked gathering • Prague-Hostivař, 25 February www . toulcuvdvur.cz

Eduard Steinberg: From Moscow to Paris • an exhibition of paintings and drawings by a 20th century Russian artist • Prague City Gallery, from 24 February to 28 May www . ghmp.cz

Life Crafts • craftsmanship workshops where participants can try out traditional and lesser-known crafts • New Town Hall, from 22 to 23 February www . nrpraha.cz

28 Days • a darkly hued performance free of language barriers by the creative collective Wariot Ideal about an urban castaway • Alfred ve dvoře Theatre, 26 and 27 February www . alfredvedvore.cz

Early Spring at Prague Castle • an exhibition in the Empire Glasshouse at the Royal Garden, dedicated to the topic of water, hyacinths, and amaryllises • Prague Castle, from 3 to 12 March www . hrad.cz

One World • a festival of documentary films about human rights along with forums and discussions with domestic and foreign guests • in multiple Prague cinemas, from 6 to 15 March www . jedensvet.cz

Ai Weiwei • an exhibition of the work of one of the most important contemporary artists created especially for the Prague gallery • National Gallery in Prague, from 17 March to 7 January www . ngprague.cz

The Little Mermaid • a ballet with music by the Czech composer Zbyněk Matějů inspired by the fairytale by H. C. Andersen • National Theatre, 15 March www . narodni-divadlo.cz

Czech Cinematograph • an exhibition for the 120th anniversary of the first film projection in the Czech Lands, representing the beginnings of the film industry • National Technical Museum, until 21 May www . ntm.cz

Dance Evening • a show by the leading Czech swing big band, Ondřej Havelka and his Melody Makers, focusing on music of the 1930s and ’40s • Lucerna Palace, 8 April www . melodymakers.cz

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

2

◗ ... operations at Prague’s airport began 80 years ago? The airport in the Prague neighborhood Ruzyně is intended for civilian air transport. Its construction began in 1933, and it opened on 5 April 1937. That year, the check-in hall designed by the architect Adolf Beneš won a gold medal at the International Art and Technical Exhibition in Paris. The first plane to land at the new airport was a Czechoslovak Airlines aircraft, which arrived at 9 a.m. from Piešťany, Slovakia, and an hour later Ruzyně became a stopover for an Air France flight en route from Vienna to Dresden.

Almost immediately after the airport was opened, its size was quadrupled from its original area of 80 hec-tares. Major renovations came in the 1960s, when the

area of the airport was expanded to 800 hectares, and the North Terminal was built. It contains two terminals (of a total of six) that serve for passenger transportation: T1 is reserved for flights outside of the Schengen Area, and T2 is used for flights inside the Schengen Area.

The latter was opened eleven years ago. Since 2012, the airport bears the name of Václav Havel, the first President of the Czech Republic. The Prague airport is the largest in the Czech Republic. In 2016, 13 million passengers passed through it. Interestingly, filmmakers have used it several times. It appeared, for example, in the Bond film Casino Royale, but it was used to represent the airport in Miami.

Did you know that... ◗ ... the Czech Republic has the densest network of public libraries in the world? There is one library for every 1,971 inhabitants, which is four times more than the average for European countries and ten times more than in the USA. The Czechs come in first in this cate- gory because of a law enacted in 1919, not long after the founding of the independent state of Czechoslova-kia. The legislation required every municipality to have its own library.

Of course, libraries as such had already long existed in what is now the Czech Republic. Public libraries began to appear in the late eighteenth century, as monaster-ies were being closed. With the abolition of the Jesuit order in Prague, Maria Theresa issued a decree turning their facility into the National Library (although under a different name at the time). Not long thereafter, book printers began to be required to send one specimen of every book to that institution. Today, the National Library holds over six million documents.

◗ ... 155 years ago, the Náprstek Museum was found-ed in Prague? This institution is part of the National Museum, and its collections focus on Asian, African, and American cultures. More than just the museum’s name connects its history with Vojta Náprstek – a Prague philanthropist who was a promoter of edu-cation for women and of progress in general.

Náprstek was born in Prague in 1826, and already in his youth he was attracted by foreign cultures. His interest in ethnography was increased by the decade he spent in American, and it did not wane after his return to Prague, where his family’s brewery on the square now known as Betlémské náměstí was trans-formed in 1862 into the Bohemian Industrial Muse-um. In it, he introduced Prague’s inhabitants to pro-gressive inventions, some of which were supposed to help with the emancipation of women. Among the items he brought to Prague were a washing machine, a sewing machine, and an ice cream churn. For the museum, he also compiled ethnographic material and art collections, for which he was sent exhibits by travelers and friends from around the world. After Náprstek’s death in 1894, the museum – to which he had left tens of thousands of books and photographs, among other things – became an ethnographic mu-seum. Beginning in the 1950s, the museum began to specialize in non-European cultures.

A fraction of the extensive collections is presented in a permanent exhibit focusing on the Indian cultures of North and South America (but this part of the mu-seum is closed because of renovations) and also on the cultures of Australia and Oceania. The museum is open daily except for Mondays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (and from 9 a.m. on Wednesdays). Until 28 February,

it is also possible to visit the exhibition “Headhunters”, which is about the history and current events on the island of New Guinea, or to see some of the smaller exhibits that present interesting objects and collec-tions: in February, these exhibits will be devoted to the traveler Emil Holub, and in March and April they will be devoted to whales.

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

3

12. 5. – 2. 6. 2017

figfigfi .11fifififififififififififigfifi 1fi 1fififigfififigfigfigfififigfififififigfifigfigfifigfigfigfifigfifigfififigfififigfifigfififigfififigfifigfigfifigfifi

Cornetta amabilea{{{Rohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná{Rohatka líbezná{{Rohatka líbezná{ }}}Rohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbezná

Cornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaCornetta amabileaRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná{Rohatka líbezná{{Rohatka líbezná{Rohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbeznáRohatka líbezná}Rohatka líbezná

72nd International Music Festival PRAGUE SPRING

General Media PartnerFestival Partner Financial SupportGeneral Partner

Programme and tickets at www.festival.cz

64x131 iPrague.indd 1 18.01.2017 10:26:07

Prague of Charles IV – Europe’s Magnificent Con-struction SiteLast year saw the 700th anniversary of the birth of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. On that oc-casion, a permanent exhibition was opened in the House at the Golden Ring on Týnská Street in Prague’s Old Town, presenting the ruler as an ambitious builder and urban planner. The interactive exhibition was prepared by the City of Prague Museum. It focuses on the appearance of Prague in the fourteenth century, when the city was signifi-cantly transformed in connection with the construction ac-tivities of Charles IV, who wanted to make Prague into one of Europe’s imposing capitals. The goal of the exhibition is to present not only what the city looked like at the time, but also how its population lived. Visitors can view models of buildings, realized projects, and Charles’s construction plans. The city’s urban development is also illustrated by video mapping. A separate interactive program has been prepared for children in attendance. The House at the Golden Ring is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.Juergen Teller: Enjoy Your Life!One of today’s most sought-after photographers is pre-senting his work at the Galerie Rudolfinum. The German artist is also the curator of an original exhibition project that includes both his older series of photographs and his latest works, including the series Teller, in which he summarizes all of his earlier topics. In his pictures, Teller blurs the borders between commercially contracted work and artistic creation. He depicts himself, his family, and everyday scenes, while at the same time he is a suc-cessful celebrity photographer. He was made famous in 1991 by his portraits of the band Nirvana and its lead singer Kurt Cobain. Come to the Prague gallery to “Enjoy Your Life” until 19 March.

What’s Going On in PragueViva la MammaThe National Theatre in Prague has prepared a produc-tion of this grotesque opera by the classical composer Gaetano Donizetti. His comic work is a kind of opera about opera: the action takes place during preparations for the premiere of a new operatic production. Donizetti’s comic figures and music from the highpoint of the bel canto era will be presented by the National Theatre in the building of the Estates Theatre beginning on 9 February.WantedTogether with her musical friends, including the Epoque Quartet & Orchestra, the mezzo soprano Dag-mar Pecková has prepared a magnificent cabaret revue. She has taken inspiration from the music of Kurt Weill. The show also contains Weill’s best-known composition, the hit song Mack the Knife. It will not be missing from even one of the seventeen performances dedicated to the project Wanted at the Lucerna Palace from 11 to 30 April.

Shrovetide and Easter in PragueIt is possible to attend Shrovetide events at several locations in Prague. For example, a program is be-ing prepared for 19 February at 9 a.m. at Vyšehrad, where a procession of masks and a traditional pig slaughter will be combined with a theatrical perfor-mance for children and adults. On 25 February from noon to 6 p.m., the Prague neighborhood Letná will be filled with Shrovetide celebrations. Another Prague event connected with Easter is the traditional Easter Market on Old Town Square. From 1 to 17 April they will offer a folklore program, Easter goods, and even a tasting of various kinds of punch.

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

4

Visit the second oldest monastic library in the country. Peruse one of the best kept collections of historical books, manuscripts and first editions in Central Europe. Pore over the maps and globes and be astounded by the unique decorations in the Philosophical Hall, the Theological Hall and by the frescoes and the exhibits in the cabinet of curiosities.

Strahovské nádvoří 1/132, Praha 1Open daily: 9 am – 12 pm and 1 pm – 5 pmtel. +420 233 107 749Private tours: tel. 602 190 297

www.strahovskyklaster.cz

Strahov Monastery is the oldest Premonstratensian monastery in the Czech Republic

Str

ahov

Lib

rary

The immediate vicinity of Prague Castle feature one of the oldest Premonstratensian monasteries in the world. The monastery still remains in full use today while it of-fers visitors an unparalleled view of both religious and secular histories of the Czech Lands as they unfolded.The Royal Canonry of Premonstratensians at Strahov was founded as early as in 1143 and the monastery has served as the base of the Roman Catholic religious order for Bohemia and Moravia ever since, almost with-out interruption. The monastery is home to an order which manages countless vicarages and a number of other estates across the Czech Republic, in addition to educating novices and clerics. There are upwards of 20 members currently living at the monastery.A morning service takes place every day at 6am in the monastery’s baroque Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady. The basilica is exceptional not only for its exquisite ornamentation but also for being the final resting place of the Premonstratensian order’s founder St. Norbert (Norbert of Xanten), whose remains are interred in the northern aisle of the basilica.At the time of the monastery’s founding, a library was established. It currently contains more than 200,000 volumes of books and academic papers. This makes it one of only a handful of historical libraries still in operation. Having survived wars and fires, the original collections obtained a new and dignified place in the 17th century in the baroque Theological Hall. This monumental space lined by original bookshelves is dominated by the painted ceiling framed with stucco ornaments. Another unique feature of the Theologi-cal Hall is the collection of globes from the 16th and

Visit the historical Strahov Library within Strahov Monastery at Hradčany

17th centuries, while there is a preserved compilation wheel made around 1678 for use in assembling texts. As the library collection expanded, an additional room, the Philosophical Hall, was added. This vast auditorium is famous mainly for its ceiling painted by the Viennese artist Anton Maulbertsch, depicting saints and numer-ous allegories. The library also includes a Cabinet of Curiosities which could be described as a predecessor of modern-day museums of natural history. In addi-tion to the Premonstratensian monks, the library also serves the Museum of National Literature.Besides the convent itself, visitors to the monastery can also view the picture gallery featuring a permanent col-lection of paintings from the 14th to the 19th centuries. The entire monastery complex is open to the public every day except Easter Sunday.

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

5

THE MOST ENTERTAINING WAX MUSEUM IN EUROPE

DO YOU WANT TO LIVE THEUNEXPECTED?LIVE IT AT GRÉVIN.

* 10% discount on any ticket with this coupon

10%SPECIAL

OFFER!

DISCOUNT*

IN.

any upon

Celetná 15

, Pra

ha 1

Czech UNESCO Heritage SitesThis year is the 25th anniversary of the registering of Prague’s historic center on the UNESCO list of world-wide cultural heritage, but Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and Vyšehrad in the heart of Prague are not the only landmarks that can boast this title. Get to know some of the other Czech sites listed by UNESCO that are perhaps less well known to tourists.The park at Průhonice Castle is located ca. 15 kilo-meters southeast of the center of Prague. The former owner of the manor, Count Arnošt Emanuel Silva-Tarouca, is responsible for its present form. In the lat-ter half of the nineteenth century, he began to create a natural landscaping park. On an area of 220 hectares, visitors will find ponds, an extensive alpine garden, and above all, a collection of plants that are of scientific value. The founder took advantage of the changeability of of seasons, highlighting the colors of buds, blossoms, and autumn leaves.

The Holašovice Historical Village Reservation is ex-traordinary in part because it is still inhabited. Lying in southern Bohemia near České Budějovice, the village was founded in the mid-thirteenth century. The Medie-val system of arrangement of the individual settlements has been preserved to this day. It is also striking for the preserved “rustic Baroque” stucco décor, a style of folk architecture used in the nineteenth century mainly in southern Bohemia.The Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc is regarded as one of the masterpieces of the Baroque era in central Europe. It was built from 1716 to 1754 as a spectacular celebra-tion of the Catholic church and faith and in part out of gratitude for the end of a plague epidemic. Empress Maria Theresa took part in person at its dedication. At a height of 35 meters, it is the tallest sculpture in the Czech Republic. It also incorporates a small chapel and a secret entrance to a passage connecting it to the Olomouc city fortifications.

Villa Tugendhat is a functionalist building in Brno designed by the German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It was built in 1929–1930 on commission for the couple Greta and Fritz Tugendhat. Mies van der Rohe used modern technologies and materials and even designed the furnishings. The fate of this unique building and its inhabitants was rather dramatic. The Tugendhats abandoned the villa in 1938 out of fear of the rise of Nazism, and they never returned to their home. The building was occupied by the German authorities, and at the end of the war it was partially damaged during an air raid. In 1945 the Soviets used it to house their soldiers and as stalls for horses. After the war, it served for instruction in gymnastic dancing

and later as a rehabilitation center. It was not recog-nized as a landmark of modern architecture until 1969. In the 1980s it underwent somewhat careless renova-tions, but the building was returned to its original condition by renovations in 2010–2012. The villa is now open to the public.

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

6

Jizerská padesátka (The Jizera Fifty)This cross-country ski race, intended mainly for amateur skiers, is celebrating a jubilee – it is being held for the fiftieth year. The fifty kilometer course runs through the Jizera Mountains, and racers will be skiing on the course from 17 to 19 February. The race is limited to 4,800 com-petitors because of the protected status of the wilder-ness. In addition to the fifty kilometer course, there are also 30 and 25 kilometer courses, and the event even includes a corporate relay race.Olgoj Chorchoi: The Logic of Emotion in Brno“Olgoi Khorkhoi” is the name of a legendary giant worm living in the Gobi Desert, but in the Czech design world, the word spelled in the Czech manner (“Olgoj Chorchoj”) is also the name of an award-winning design studio. With a retrospective exhibition, the Moravian Gallery is presenting the studio’s activities from the early 1990s to the present, ranging from product design to architecture. The exhibition will be on display in Brno at the building of the Museum of Industrial Arts until 16 April.

What’s Going On in the RegionsExhibition of Camellias in KroměřížThe flower garden at Kroměříž Castle is opening its visitors’ season with an exhibition of camellias, this year with the subtitle “Queen of the Ball Flowers”. Camel-lias have been cultivated there since the latter half of the nineteenth century, and in the castle greenhouse, one can smell the fragrances of dozens of plants that are over a hundred years old. Camellias are seen in the Flower Garden during the period from 10 February until 12 March, and along with the exhibition, there will be a Flower Ball on 24 February on the Art Nouveau grounds of the Psychiatric Clinic in Kroměříž.The Kenny Garrett Quintet in PilsenAt the Pilsen festival Jazz without Borders, the American saxophonist Kenny Garrett, who played with the leg-endary Miles Davis, will appear on 28 February. Garrett began his career in 1978 when he became a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. During his career he has played with many jazz greats: besides Miles Davis, he also played with the bass player Ron Carter and the pianist Chick Corea, for example.Impressionism in Hluboká nad VltavouThis exhibition, prepared by the Aleš South Bohemian Gal-lery, takes us back to an artistic movement at the end of the nineteenth century that moved painting from the studio to the out-of-doors and was able to capture the blending of light and colors. It appeared late in Bohemia but merged there with other artistic movements, such as symbolism. The exhibition captures the moods and impressions in French and Czech art through the works of both Czech artists, such as Antonín Slavíček and Václav Radimský, and French artists including Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley. Their works can be seen in the riding hall of the castle in Hluboká nad Vltavou from 19 March to 18 June.

With the Prague Card, get more out of Prague for less!

— free entry & discounts on 100 tourist attractions

— unlimited use of public transportation — available for children, students

and adults — valid for 2, 3 or 4 days

Sold at Prague City Tourism Information Centres

www.eshop.prague.eu

inzerat_Prague Card_iPrague_en_2016-1-11.indd 1 12.1.16 10:14

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

7

The current brochure can also be found at

www.i-prague.info

EXHIBITIONCZECH CUBISMHOUSE AT THEBLACK MADONNAOVOCNÝ TRH 19, PRAGUE 1 C

ZK

UB

ISM

US

.CZ

A favourite hang-out of Prague residents,

also visited byKarel âapek, Franz Kafka,

Albert Einstein . . .

~CAFÉ LOUVRE, Národní tfiída 22, Praha 1

tel. 224 930 949, 724 054 055 cafelouvre@cafelouvre.cz, www.cafelouvre.cz

e s t . 1 9 0 2café Louvre

64x131:64x131 GFL 4/14/11 2:56 PM Stránka 1

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

8

· The Best of Gershwin· Bolero, Carmina Burana

and Jewish songs · The Best of World

and Czech Music· Hallelujah

at one of Europe’s most beautiful synagogues

Concerts

For the current programme, visit www.bmart.cz

The Spanish Synagogue, Prague 1 February, March 5.30pm / April 7:00 pm

Concerts take place five days a week

XXIV. PRAGUEINTERNATIONAL

FILM FESTIVAL 201723.3-31.3 PRAHA

for financial support

AndělČerný Most

www.fok.cz

Enjoy the unique atmosphere of concerts of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, the representative orchestra of the city of Prague. Concerts take place in the Smetana Hall of the Municipal House.

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

9

DANCING HOUSE GALLERYJan Kaplický “JKOK” - An exhibition of one of the world‘s best known architects of Czech origin, who is a pioneer in the world of Future Design.

THE DANCING HOUSE

GLASS BARthe best view

of Prague Castle.

www.galerietancicidum.cz

K A R E L K U K L Í K

A   P H O T O G R A P H I C

D I A L O G U E W I T H

T H E L A N D S C A P E

7. 2 . 2017 – 14 . 5 . 2 017

P R A G U E C I T Y G A L L E R Y

H O U S E O F P H O T O G R A P H Y

R E V O L U Č N Í 5 , P R A G U E 1

W W W . G H M P . C Z

M U Z E U MH L A V N Í H O M Ě S T A

P R A H Y A GrandioseBuildingSite in Europe

ofCharlesIVPrague

www.muzeumprahy.cz

iPrague_DZP_64x64mm 23.01.17 11:49 Stránka 1

REDUTA JAZZ CLUB Hosts the prominent politicians and elites of international commerce regularly, and entertained presidents of more than 40 states.www.redutajazzclub.cz +420 224 933 487

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

iPrague AJ.pdf 1 23.1.2017 15:52:13

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

10

Ústí nad LabemTake a trip to Ústí nad Labem and explore the city in the north of Bohemia, which is worth seeing!

• Erben Viewing Tower • The Vaňovský Waterfall • Berta Walley – valley along the Stříbrnický Brook • Větruše chateau • the Bohemian Gate – Porta Bohemica • Tours, trips, interesting events – more information on www.usti-nad-labem.cz

City Information CentreMírové náměstí 1/1, 400 01 Ústí n. L.+420 475 271 700

info.stredisko@mag-ul.czwww.facebook.com/magistratusti

museum.skoda-auto.com

You are invited to tour the ŠKODA Museum in Mladá Boleslav and an excursion of the ŠKODA AUTO production shops.

Guided tours need to be booked beforehand.

ŠKODA Museum, Tř. V. Klementa 294, Mladá Boleslav, T +420 326 832 038muzeum@skoda-auto.cz

ŠKODA MUSEUM

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

11

Patron Saints of Bohemia

Several saints have been chosen as patrons, to inter-cede for and protect the Czech Lands and its people. Reliable period sources about the lives of these saints are often lacking, but there are legends that recount the stories of their lives. While it is often difficult to judge the amount of fact and fiction in the stories, the descriptions of their fates are interesting.

SAINT WENCESLAS is the chief patron of the Czech Lands and was also the first person of Bohemian origins to be canonized. This Bohemian duke is believed to have been born in 907 in a hill fort in Stochov (ca. 40 kilometers from Prague). His grandmother Ludmila is said to have planted a tree there in his honor, and a torso of a tree known as the “thousand year oak” is still standing on the town square.It was Ludmila who raised Wenceslas after his father’s death in 921. His reign began in 925, and by all ac-counts he was a capable ruler and was able to make good decisions in matters of domestic and foreign

policy. He is especially admired for managing to pre-serve the sovereignty of the Czech state after his de-feat by the Saxon king Henry the Fowler. He protected the country from Henry the Fowler’s ambitions of conquest by a policy of appeasement and the payment of tribute. 120 oxen and 500 silver grivnas are said to have been carried away from Bohemia to Saxony. The fact that Henry respected Wenceslas is also shown by his gift to the Bohemian ruler.A tale about the giving of this gift is connected with one of the miracles that were said to have proven Wenceslas’s sainthood. Henry the Fowler suppos-edly wished to punish Wenceslas for arriving late at an assembly by commanding that those present refrain from showing Wenceslas due respect. When Wenceslas arrived, however, the king himself rose and greeted him, because he saw a golden cross above Wenceslas’s head and two angels at his sides. He even offered Wenceslas the choice of a gift from the royal treasury – Wenceslas chose a reliquary containing a relic of the arm of Saint Vitus, for which Wenceslas had a rotunda built in Prague. That rotunda later be-came the foundation for the later Cathedral of Saint Vitus at Prague Castle. The remains of Saint Wenceslas also lie in the cathedral, and the Saint Wenceslas Chapel was built above his tomb.Wenceslas died a martyr. A dispute with his younger brother Boleslav decided his fate and ended his reign. Boleslav invited Wenceslas to a feast, and the next day, as Wenceslas was on his way to morning worship, Boleslav had his brother murdered by his henchmen. The murder supposedly took place near an unfinished church building, which is commemorated by the crypt beneath the present-day Church of Saint Wenceslas in

Stará Boleslav. Wenceslas probably died in either 929 or 935, but the legends agree about the date of his death – 28 September. That date is now a national holiday, Czech Statehood Day.The name of Saint Wenceslas – whether as a saint or as a symbolic ruler – passes through all of Czech history; for example, in the mid-14th century the Bohemian King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV had the crown that belongs to the Bohemian crown jewels consecrated to him. Wenceslas’s legacy was also misused – the Saint Wenceslas Eagle was named after him. This decoration was awarded during the Second World War in the Pro-tectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Today, Saint Wenceslas is depicted, for example, on stamps and the twenty crown coin – above all, there is his equestrian statue, which dominates Wenceslas Square in Prague, a place that is associated with many important moments in Czech history. In 1999, the art-ist David Černý created a sculpture of Saint Wenceslas seated on the belly of a dead horse. It is suspended from the ceiling in the nearby Lucerna Arcade (entrance from Vodičkova Street), and it has been agreed that it is to remain there until a constitutional monarchy is restored in the Czech Republic.SAINT LUDMILA, the grandmother of Saint Wenceslas, was born in ca. 860. There are several different versions of her origins: according to one, she was the daughter of a duke from what is now the town Mělník in a region with vineyards near Prague. According to a different ac-count, she came from Serbian territory. At the age of fourteen or fifteen, she married Duke Bořivoj I, the first historically documented Bohemian ruler. They had at least six children together, but the names are known for only two of them, who later ascended to the throne as dukes. One of them was Vra-tislav, the father of Saint Wenceslas.

St Wenzeslas and St Ludmila

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

12

Responsibility for the Christianization of Bohemia is at-tributed to Ludmila. She and her husband Bořivoj re-ceived their baptism directly from the hand of the Slavic apostle Methodius. Their baptism also had a political meaning – it enabled them to achieve supremacy over other principalities. Ludmila did not distance herself from politics; after Bořivoj’s death, she did not step out of the limelight as was customary for widows, but instead remained involved in public matters. This proved to be her undoing, because her daughter-in-law Drahomíra, the mother of Saint Wenceslas, had the same ambition. Personal and political disagreements led to the murder of Ludmila on orders from Drahomíra. According to legend, she had her mother-in-law strangled with her own veil. Her grandson, Duke Wenceslas, had her remains buried at the Church of St George at Prague Castle. Ludmila was canonized in the 12th century. Drahomíra survived the death of not only her mother-in-law, but also her son – she is known to have been present when Wenceslas was murdered. After his death, she fled Prague in fear for her life, and nothing is known about what became of her.SAINT ADALBERT was the second Bishop of Prague, and he is also regarded as the author of the oldest Czech and Polish sacred songs. The Czechs share Saint Adalbert with the Poles – he is perceived not only as the second patron of the Czech Lands, but also as the chief patron of the Polish church. He was probably born between 955 and 957 in Libice nad Cidlinou, a town about 65 kilometers from Prague. His life was on course for a career in the church from his childhood. After his studies in Magdeburg, Germany, in 982 he became the second Bishop of Prague. In his position, he was determined to spread the Christian faith and to eradicate such heathen vices as polygamy and alcoholism, but his sometimes radical efforts were not always received enthusiastically, so he left for Rome.

SAINT ZDISLAVA came from a family with ties to the royal court. Her mother Sibyla, of Sicilian origin, came to Bohemia in the entourage of the bride of King Wenceslas I, and her husband Havel was a royal confidant. Zdislava’s father was a burgrave in Brno, and he also was in charge of the local castle; a vast portion of Moravia belonged to him. Almost nothing is known about Zdislava’s youth (she was born sometime after 1220 in Křižanov); she may have been raised in one of Moravia’s convents. Although she came from a wealthy family, she is said to have been mod-est and to have had a friendly attitude towards the clergy.At about the age of fifteen, she married Havel of Lemberk in northern Bohemia. Together with him, she instigated the construction of Dominican monasteries in Turnov and Jablonné v  Podještědí. She is primar-ily associated with the latter of these locations – she is even said to have helped with construction of the monastery there and to have come in person to the local hospital, where she aided the infirm. She died at about the age of thirty, supposedly of tuberculosis, and she is buried at the Church of Saint Lawrence in Jablonné. In 1995 Pope John Paul II canon-ized her as a saint.

At the request of a Bohemian duke, he returned in 992 together with a group of Italian monks, for whom he founded the Břevnov Monastery. This was the very first monastery for males in Bohemia (the area has now been incorporated into Prague). The situation had not changed much during Adalbert’s absence, and in addi-tion, the Czech state was in a crisis, so he left the country for a second time two years later. His departure saved his life. Only he and his brother Soběslav escaped the slaughter of the Slavníks, the important Bohemian fam-ily to which both belonged.Instead of returning to Bohemia, Adalbert left for Po-land, and from there he headed to Prussia with the goal of converting the pagans there to the Christian faith. Not even death threats could get him to back down from his incendiary mission work, and on 23 April 997, at one of the holy sites of the pagans, he was captured and ritualistically killed. His remains were bought back by Duke Boleslaw I (the “Brave”) of Poland and were buried at the cathedral in Gniezno. The Poles believe that this is where he is buried, while the Czechs assume that his remains were taken from there in the early eleventh century and are kept in Prague Castle.

Statues of St Wenceslas (Wenceslas Square) and Dominican monastery in Jablonné

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

13

Useful informationPoints of interest

Taxi to the airportfor €18www.transport-in-prague.com <<<

one US dollar approximately CZK 24, and one pound sterling approximately CZK 32. We recommend not changing money on the street with strangers; use banks, money exchange offices and hotels.

◗ Most shops are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, but business hours are limited on holi-days. Stores with sales space in excess of 200 m2 are closed on 1 January, Easter Monday, 8 May, 28 September, 28 October, and 25 and 26 December. There are exceptions for pharmacies, filling sta-tions, shops on hospital grounds, and at airports and train stations.

◗ Popular souvenirs purchased in the Czech Re-public include Czech cut glass, porcelain, Be-cherovka (a traditional bitter herbal liquor), mead, Slivovice (plum brandy), Bohemian garnets, amber, wooden marionettes, art and design pieces, folk art pieces, spa wafers and typical spa drinking cups.

◗ Postal services The main post office is open daily from 2 a.m. until

midnight. It is located at 14 Jindřišská Street in the very centre of the city, near metro station “Můstek”, the interchange Metro station for the A and B lines.

Public transport information◗ There are three underground (Metro) lines

operating in Prague – green (A), yellow (B) and red (C). The metro system interconnects all the important places around the city, with tram and bus connections to destinations where the metro does not reach. The public transport network is reliable and covers the city thoroughly. The metro operates daily from 5 a.m. to midnight. Night tram and bus lines pro-vide public transportation after midnight.

◗ Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic. It has approximately 1.3 million inhabitants, on an area of some 500 sq km (193 sq mi). It origi-nated around 1000 A.D. and for many years re-mained a  group of independent villages. Under the rule of Charles IV (14th century) medi-eval Prague experienced its greatest development. At the turn of the 17th century the city gained further renown owing to Emperor Rudolf II. Be-tween 1918 and 1992 Prague was the capital city of Czechoslovakia, and since January 1993 it has been the capital of the independent Czech Repub-lic. Since 1 May 2004 the Czech Republic has been a member of the European Union, and on 21 Decem-ber 2007 it became part of the Schengen Area.

◗ Bank holidays in the Czech Republic: 1 January – New Year, 14 April – Good Friday, 17 April – Easter Monday, 1 May – Labour Day, 8 May – Liberation Day, 5 July – The Day of Missionaries and Saints Cyril and Methodius, 6 July – Jan Hus Day, 28 September – Czech Statehood Day, 28 October – Independ-ence Day, 17 November - Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day, 24 December – Christmas Eve, 25 December – Christmas Day, 26 December – Box-ing Day.

◗ Traditional Czech dishes are a  meal of braised beef with cream sauce and bread dumplings and roast pork with dumplings and cabbage, while the traditional Christmas meal is carp. Main courses in restaurants usually cost (depending on the location) from CZK 150 to CZK 300.

◗ Banks and Currency exchange rates Most banks in Prague are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

on weekdays. One Euro buys approximately CZK 27,

◗ There are numerous beautiful parks and gardens in Prague, occupying approximately 5% of the total urban area. The most beautiful include the former Royal Preserve, now more frequently referred to by its popular name “Stromovka”, the complex of gardens on the Petřín Hill, the Vrtbovská Garden, the gardens at Letná, the Wallenstein Garden (Valdštejnská zah-rada), and the Prague Castle gardens.

◗ There are ten islands on the Vltava (Moldau) River run-ning through Prague (e.g. Střelecký, Císařský, Dětský). A few years ago, the prestigious traveler´s server Vir-tualTourist.com declared the Prague island of Kampa the second most rewarding urban island in the world.

◗ Prague´s astronomical clock (Pražský orloj), one of the best-preserved medieval astronomical clocks in the world, is the feature of the tower of the Old Town Hall. It was created by Mikuláš z Kadaně, a clockmaker to the royal court, in 1410.

◗ The Jan Žižka Monument on Vítkov Hill is one of the world’s largest bronze equestrian statues. It weighs 16.5 metric tons and is 9 meters tall and 9.6 meters long.

◗ Charles Bridge was the only bridge in Prague right up until the 19th century. It is the second oldest bridge in use in the Czech Republic.

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

14

www . czech.czofficial website of the Czech Republic

www . praha.euweb portal of the City of Prague

www . prague.euPrague tourist web portal

www . czechtourism.com official travel site of the Czech Republic

www . kudyznudy.czideas for trips

www . florenc.czwebsite of the Florenc coach terminal

www . cd.czCzech Railways website

www . prg.aeroPrague Airport website

www . dpp.czwebsite of the Prague public transport operator

www . idos.czwebsite timetables of trains, buses and public transport in the Czech Republic and Europe

www . chmi.czwebsite of the Czech Institute of Hydrometeorology – information on weather in the Czech Republic

The EU universal emergency telephone number112

Fire brigade emergency number 150

Emergency medical service number 155

Municipal police emergency number 156

State police emergency number158

Information (tel. numbers, information on traffic, cultural events, etc.)1188

Useful Czech telephone numbers 1180

Prague contact centre12444

Roadside assistance1230

Airport information – nonstop line220 111 888

International country calling code for the Czech Republic +420 (00420)

Important telephone numbers: Useful links:

For children from 6 to 15 years (note) of age N.B. and seniors from 65 to 70 years (note) of age N.B. that have an opencard with a „Special fare endorsement“ (endorsement price is 120 CZK), the fare for travel in Prague (tariff zones P, 0 and B) is 0 CZK. Children from 6 to 10 years of age N.B. require only an identification card certified by its issuer (a corporate entity) with name, surname, date of birth and a photograph.

Fare

Public transport links to Václav Havel Airport Prague (Letiště)

Bus 119 – ˝Dejvická˝ (metro line A) – ˝Letiště˝ – 22 min. Bus 100 – ˝Zličín˝ (metro line B) – ˝Letiště˝ – 16 min. Bus 179 – ˝Nové Butovice˝ (metro line B) – ˝Letiště˝ – 38 min. Airport Express Buss – Prague main railway station ˝Hlavní

nádraží˝ (metro line C, with SC, EC, IC and EN type rail links) – ˝Letiště˝ – 33 min.

CZK 16

CZK 12

CZK 55

CZK 16

CZK 12

CZK 55

CZK 32

CZK 24

CZK 110

CZK 310

Adult Child SeniorTickets

Basic

Short-term

1 day

3 days

90 min.

30 min.

24 hrs

72 hrs

For children from 6 to 15 years (note) of age N.B. and seniors from 65 to 70 years (note) of age N.B. that have an opencard with a „Special fare endorsement“ (endorsement price is 120 CZK), the fare for travel in Prague (tariff zones P, 0 and B) is 0 CZK. Children from 6 to 10 years of age N.B. require only an identification card certified by its issuer (a corporate entity) with name, surname, date of birth and a photograph.

Fare

Public transport links to Václav Havel Airport Prague (Letiště)

Bus 119 – ˝Dejvická˝ (metro line A) – ˝Letiště˝ – 22 min. Bus 100 – ˝Zličín˝ (metro line B) – ˝Letiště˝ – 16 min. Bus 179 – ˝Nové Butovice˝ (metro line B) – ˝Letiště˝ – 38 min. Airport Express Buss – Prague main railway station ˝Hlavní

nádraží˝ (metro line C, with SC, EC, IC and EN type rail links) – ˝Letiště˝ – 33 min.

CZK 16

CZK 12

CZK 55

CZK 16

CZK 12

CZK 55

CZK 32

CZK 24

CZK 110

CZK 310

Adult Child SeniorTickets

Basic

Short-term

1 day

3 days

90 min.

30 min.

24 hrs

72 hrs

– Prague main railway station ˝Hlavní nádraží˝ (metro line C, with SC, EC, IC and EN type rail links) – Airport Express Buss

Public transport links to Václav Havel Airport Prague (Letiště)

– ˝Nádraží Veleslavín˝ (metro line A) – ˝Letiště˝ – 17 min. – ˝Zličín˝ (metro line B) – ˝Letiště˝ – 16 min.

Fare

Bus 119 Bus 100

For children from 6 to 15 years (note) of age N.B. and seniors from 65 to 70 years (note) of age N.B. that have an opencard with a „Special fare endorsement“ (endorsement price is 120 CZK), the fare for travel in Prague (tariff zones P, 0 and B) is 0 CZK. Children from 6 to 10 years of age N.B. require only an identification card certified by its issuer (a corporate entity) with name, surname, date of birth and a photograph.

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

15

iPrague

iPrag

90dní v Prazední

365

naMoravě

sdětmi

Editor: Milan BenišPhotos: Prague City Tour, National Museum in Prague, Info Centre Holašovice, Institute of Botany of the CAS, The Moravian Gallery in Brno – K. Till, Wikimedia Commons – M. Maňas, VitVit, business and advertising partners

Design: AlineaPrint

MK ČR E 20878

i-Prague 1/17 Quarterly journal 75,000 copies in English and 75,000 copies in German

• Václav Havel Airport Prague, Terminal 1 and 2

• Prague City Hall, Jungmannova 29/35, Prague 1

Metro stations: • Anděl • Můstek• Hlavní nádraží • Hradčanská• Nádraží Veleslavín

PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFORMATION

• Old-Town Hall• Rytířská 12• Wenceslas Square • Václav Havel Airport Prague

PRAGUE CITY TOURISM INFORMATION CENTRES

for free distribution

www.i-prague.info

Owing to the ongoing constructionworks, the public transport connections as depicted on the map may change.

Please read the information at stops or call the info line +420 296 19 18 17.